The Western States Congress is the main body of the legislative branch of the WS Government. Congress is made up by the House of Representatives, containing 160 representatives (as of the 1930 census) elected for two year terms, and the Senate, containing three senators from every state that are chosen for six year terms. Congress is responsible for making the laws of the Western States. The expansion to three senators per state compared to two in the old United States Congress was done for multiple reasons. First, it would allow each state to have a senatorial election scheduled every two years, rather than the old system where states could go four years between senatorial elections. Secondly, it expanded the number of members in the body to account for the country's fewer number of states.
The House of Representatives is led by the Speaker of the House, elected of the House's members by the House's members. The Senate is led by the President of the Senate, the Vice President of the Western States.
List of Congresses[]
The main purpose of this article is to list the various Congresses, their party composition, and their leadership. Though membership often changed during the course of each individual Congress, due to member deaths, resignations, or recalls, the membership listed below represents the composition of each Congress at its beginning.
1st Congress[]
January 3, 1931-January 3, 1933
Senate
House
Note: All members of the First Congress were constitutionally prohibited from joining any political party or other such organization.
Membership[]
Nonpartisan | Total | |
---|---|---|
Senate | 42 | 42 |
House of Representatives | 160 | 160 |
Leadership[]
President of the Senate: George Dern
Speaker of the House: Willis C. Hawley
2nd Congress[]
January 3, 1933-January 3, 1935
Senate
House
Membership[]
Conservative | Liberal | Progressive | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Senate | 20 | 6 | 16 | 42 |
House of Representatives | 68 | 22 | 70 | 160 |
Leadership[]
President of the Senate:
George Dern (P), until January 20, 1934 [Not reelected]
Arthur Vandenberg (C), from January 20, 1934
Speaker of the House: Clarence F. Lea (L)
3rd Congress[]
January 3, 1935-January 3, 1937
Senate
House
Membership[]
Conservative | PLP[A] | Total | |
---|---|---|---|
Senate | 18 | 24 | 42 |
House of Representatives | 61 | 99 | 160 |
Gains:
Senate: PLP +8
House: PLP +29
Leadership[]
President of the Senate: Arthur Vandenberg (C), until January 29, 1936 [Ascended to presidency]
Speaker of the House: Clarence F. Lea (PLP)
4th Congress[]
January 3, 1937-January 3, 1939
Senate
House
Membership[]
Conservative | PLP[A] | Total | |
---|---|---|---|
Senate | 15 | 27 | 42 |
House of Representatives | 49 | 111 | 160 |
Gains:
Senate: PLP +3
House: PLP +12
Leadership[]
President of the Senate: Joseph C. O'Mahoney (PLP)
Speaker of the House: Clarence F. Lea (PLP)
Lists[]
Presidents of the Senate: See here.
No. | Name | Took Office | Left Office | State | Party |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Willis C. Hawley | January 7, 1931 | January 3, 1933 | Oregon | Nonpartisan |
2 | Clarence F. Lea | January 3, 1933 | (1939+) | California | Progressive-Liberal |
Control[]
Congress | Party in Control |
---|---|
1931-33 | Nonpartisan |
1933-35 | Conservative |
1935-37 | Progressive-Liberal |
1937-39 | Progressive-Liberal |
Congress | Party in Control |
---|---|
1931-33 | Nonpartisan |
1933-35 | Progressive |
1935-37 | Progressive-Liberal |
1937-39 | Progressive-Liberal |
Notes[]
- A Progressive-Liberal Party
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